The Best Order to Play Skyrim and Its Expansions

If you ask any hardcore Skyrim fan what the optimal order is to play through its iconic open world epic, most will tell you this:

Play the main game first, then tackle expansions in release order for the ideal experience.

As someone who has sunk over 400 hours across multiple playthroughs, I wholly agree with this recommended path for new and returning heroes alike.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

• Why following Skyrim‘s release timeline works
• A complete main + DLC order overview
• When to weave in side content
• Tips to maximize your enjoyment

So scroll no further to plan your upcoming adventure across Tamriel‘s snow-capped Northern province!

Why Play Skyrim in Release Order?

Skyrim revolutionized open world RPGs when it originally launched in 2011 across PC and consoles. With its incredibly deep systems, mountains upon mountains of content, and emphasis on player freedom, it has rightfully earned its place in gaming‘s pantheon.

The game saw two major expansions:

• Dawnguard (2012) – A vampire-themed add-on introducing new transformation mechanics
• Dragonborn (2012) – A Solstheim-based story concluding the Dragonborn‘s journey

Both received extensive post-launch support through patches and the Creation Club marketplace.

According to many fans on Reddit and forums, playing through Skyrim and its DLC sequentially by release provides the most cohesive experience. Why?

• The main game lays necessary groundwork through systems and lore
• Expansions build directly off your accomplishments
• Narrative threads follow a connected timeline
• Returning after 100s of hours risks progression issues

Jumping into Dragonborn at level 5 or doing a hardcore vampire run on your first character can be fun. But for most players, following Skyrim‘s growth into a content-rich classic pays off hugely.

Trust me – over 300 hours and multiple characters later, I wish someone had mapped this all out for me initially!

The Optimal New Player Order

Based on my and many others‘ seasoned recommendations, here is the ideal order to experience Skyrim plus every expansion to its fullest for the first time:

1. Main Story – As the legendary Dragonborn
2. Faction Questlines – Mages Guild, Companions, etc
3. Civil War – Imperial or Stormcloak?
4. Dawnguard
5. Dragonborn

Let‘s dive deeper into what each step in this Skyrim gameplay order entails:

1. Tackle the Iconic Main Story

First thing‘s first – embark on the epic journey to defeat Alduin, the chaos-bringing dragon prophesied to end worlds. This forms the core original story of your Dovahkiin (dragon-blooded hero), interweaving open exploration across Skyrim‘s polar region with action-packed quests.

Fight alongside the iconic Greybeards order of monks to learn the dragon tongue, uncover the mystery behind ancient dragon raises, and finally confront the apocalyptic dragon lord himself in Sovngarde halls of the glorious dead!

From quaint river villages to the highest mountain peaks, following the main questline lets you discover the full diversity of Skyrim’s beautiful world. It recently placed 14th among IGDB’s 100 Best Videogame Stories Ever, a testament to its enduring narrative impact.

I wholeheartedly think new players should start here not just to avoid potential spoilers, but to become fully invested in their unique character’s personal ascent into legend.

Average Main Story playtime: 20 hours

2. Join Factions & Build Your Legacy

Once you’ve firmly established your Dragonborn’s place in Tamriel, build up your warrior’s personal legacy by joining Skyrim’s many guilds, houses, and secret societies. Take the fight against evil to vampiric new heights among the legendary Dawnguard or master reality-bending magic at the College of Winterhold.

Maybe overthrow government itself by igniting all-out civil war!

This CHAPTER of side stories spans dozens and dozens of hours with their own self-contained narratives to enjoy at your leisure.

While certainly possible earlier, I prefer finishing the main story first to roleplay a champion already woven into Skyrim’s lore. With the world established, where you take your hero afterward reflects their personality and aspirations.

Will you seek noble purpose as a knightly Companion? Study arcane knowledge within the grand Academy‘s walls? Or embrace personal power through darkness among the secret Brotherhood? Play your way!

Among the most popular faction options include:

• The Companions – An esteemed knightly order in the city of Whiterun
• The College of Winterhold – Tamriel’s preeminent institute of magic study
• The Dark Brotherhood – A clandestine organization of assassins whose origins date back to the Second Era
• The Thieves Guild – An underground network of pickpockets and burglars centered in Riften
• The Bards College – A school for music, poetry, and oral tradition treasured by Nords
• The Blades – Remnants of the once-mighty order serving Dragonborn emperors

And if you already finished the main story, rejoining old allies presents opportunities to further strengthen your bonds through exclusive missions.

Obtaining the respect of Skyrim’s many peoples builds your legend stat by stat!

Average Faction playtime: 50+ hours

3. Fight in the Civil War

While conflict between the Imperial Legion and Stormcloak rebels kicks off immediately after the game’s intro, I suggest saving Skyrim’s divisive Civil War arc until after the main story concludes.

Why postpone a literal war engulfing the province? Beyond better gear and higher levels, the storyline overall fits better as post-game content given its themes.

Your climatic showdown with Alduin sees supposed age-old enemies band together against apocalyptic stakes. It represents the Dragonborn‘s ultimate triumph achieving lasting unity.

Meanwhile, the Civil War epitomizes just the opposite – mankind driven apart by greed, resentment, and opposing ideals in Skyrim’s darkest hour.

Only by experiencing both defining story beats does your hero gain necessary perspective over their true purpose.

Here are some fast Civil War facts:

If either conflicting perspective resonates strongly, roleplay accordingly! You may even uncover surprising nuance underlying centuries of resentment across 10+ hours of intrigue and reveal.

Just know the Dragonborn’s choices here determine nothing less than Skyrim’s governance and independence. Personally, I think that seals post-game status!

Average Civil War playtime: 10 – 30 hours

4. Decide Skyrim‘s Vampire Fate in Dawnguard

The first Skyrim DLC chronologically, Dawnguard sees the return of bloodthirsty vampire clans threatening the hard-won peace across cities and villages. Employing dark sorcery granting daylight immunity and monstrous transformations, these undead may end society itself if left unchecked!

Enter the eponymous Dawnguard – legendary vampire hunters tracing lineage back to lost eras. Will you join their righteous crusade driving stakes through vampire hearts? Or hear out the clan’s innovative leader about coexistence before societies collapse again through conflict?

Dawnguard builds brilliantly off Skyrim’s existing vampire mechanics with new perk trees and powers. These include night vision, summoning gargoyle allies, and transforming into winged Vampire Lords boasting magic feats far beyond mortal means.

Meanwhile, staunch Dawnguard slayers gain equipment specifically for hunting the undead like crossbows, Rune Hammers, and ancient relics revealing any nearby bloodsucker. Throw in a critically acclaimed main questline with numerous possible outcomes, and it still stands as one of Skyrim’s finest additions.

For players invested in Skyrim‘s underlying lore who may feel certain dangling threads, Dawnguard provides plenty of big reveals regarding metaphysics and even creation itself!

Average Dawnguard playtime: 10 – 20 hours

5. Conclude Your Journey on Solstheim in Dragonborn

Last but certainly not least comes Dragonborn – an epic homecoming for your hero recognizing their journey and destiny coming full circle. When a fanatical doomsday cult dedicated to dragons emerges on the isle of Solstheim, it becomes clear only a champion awakened Dovahkiin blood may end their reign of terror.

Dragonborn seamlessly builds off everything making players fall in love with Skyrim originally:

• New regions lush with dangerous wonders to explore
• Unique main and side adventures rounding out dangling plots
• Ton of additional loot including gear, spells, abilities only possible through this expansion
• Over 20 brand new enemy types posing novel challenges
• Extended NPC interactions and consequences from past choices
• Further advancement for max-level characters

While containing just shy of 10 substantive questlines, Dragonborn‘s greatest success comes from enhancing replay value tremendously. I lost entire weekends reliving my Dovahkiin awakening against apocalyptic stakes!

Given the number of outcomes and possibilities by this point, just experiencing your final stand against destiny is worth seeing through. It forever alters Skyrim as a whole once you return victoriously.

Average Dragonborn playtime: 10 – 30 hours

When to Mix in Daedric Quests & More

While the above order focuses mainly on primary arcs and DLCs, when exactly should you supplement your journey with all of Skyrim’s robust side content? Daedric quests, monster hunting, hidden treasures, and unlimited adventures?

My key tip is pace activities preventing fatigue from too much epicness.games, releases, and news in the gaming industry. Skyrim gives you free reign on priorities, so bounce between:

• **Main story steps**
• **Joining and advancing guilds**
• **Wandering off exploring**
• **Tackling Daedric quests**
• **Curiosities like bard songs, boxing, or romance**

Check frequently on quest markers to avoid losing track when caught up on detours. By sprinkling in memorable moments, even 200+ hour completionist runs stay magically refreshing!

If you want examples illustrating this looping structure, my full walkthrough here guides you step-by-step.

Top Tips for Enjoying Skyrim to the Fullest

Before wrapping up this expansive guide to experiencing Skyrim and all DLC content sequentially, I want to leave new wanderers with some top tips making sure your stay magical:

1. **Don’t enable mods** until completing everything vanilla. Skyrim thrives on replayability.
2. **Serve time in every city jail.** Unlocks unique interactions plus achievement!
3. **Max out crafting skills ASAP**. Game-changing for ensuring you always wield the best gear.
4. **Pick flowers, mine ore, loot weapons** to level quickly early and build riches.
5. **Don’t worry about inefficient builds.** Want to be a heavy armor frost mage? Go crazy!
6. **Quicksave constantly.** Dragons and Sabrecats don‘t play around.
7. **Walk everywhere sometimes.** Mountain trails hide quests easily missed fast traveling.
8. **Return home between adventures.** New decoration, storage, amazing feeling.

If this all feels overwhelming don‘t worry – Skyrim encourages wandering freely, so simply enjoy the ride! Hopefully the above tips complement this grand gameplay order in preparing you for a 200 hour stay easily among gaming‘s greatest fantasy worlds.

May the Divines guide your path on epic adventures to come, Dovahkiin!